"I can't believe this is happening!"

I shouted in frustration as I banged my fists on the door and tried to twist the doorknob open for the nth time.

Hopeless, I slid my back on the wall and sat on the floor.

To any God up there, please help this poor young---

"Aree?"

I looked up. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. That voice... I would always recognize that voice!

"R-Russel? Oh, thank goodness. Help me!"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

I sighed and slammed my body against the door - hoping for him to get my point.

"You locked yourself!?"

"It was an accident! Nakalimutan kong sira ang doorknob dito!"

"Just how foolish can you be?"

I clicked my tongue in annoyance. "Tutulungan mo ba ako o hindi!?"

He sighed. "Find anything that could be used to pick this knob"

I grabbed the pin from my hair. "Bobby pin?"

"That would do."

Siningit ko ang pin sa maliit na espasyo sa gilid ng pinto. After his few tries, the door finally opened.

Wait.

If Russel is here and the fireworks display would start in a few minutes... then...

Before he could even open his mouth to talk, I grabbed his arm and tugged it hard before running.

"Whoa--! What's the rush!?" He asked while being pulled.

I looked at him in pure desperation. "First, we missed the opening program. Second, Dean is now probably questioning my role as a president, and third,"

Hinawakan ko ang magkabila n'yang balikat. "You will miss the chance to kiss Mayu!"

Yesterday, I accidentally saw a letter near his locker. It's a letter for Mayu. He's inviting her to watch the fireworks display tonight. Nakalagay pa roon ang mga salitang...

["Will you let me kiss you when the first firework bursts?"]

Napakurap s'ya sa sinabi ko. "Wha--?"

I looked away in guilt for reading it without permission and pulled his arm again.

We reached the parked bicycle near the gate. "You drive! Bilis! Sakay!"

I can still see the confusion behind his eyes but he immediately hopped on. Russel gripped the handlebar and started to paddle his feet fast. Standing up behind him, I gripped his shoulders to keep myself steady.

Kaso, hindi pa man kami nakakalayo, nainis ako. Pinatigil ko s'ya.

"Baba."

"Bakit?"

"Napakabagal!"

"What!?"

I showed him the biggest smirk that I could muster. "Hold my tea!"

Determined, I hopped in front and took the handlebar tight. Russel hurriedly took my place at the back. I snickered and lifted my feet off the ground. When they touched the pedals...

...we were flying.

Different profanities and curses formed into his mouth as I continuously pushed my feet on the pedal like a madman. Pinigilan ko ang sarili ko na huwag tumawa. Napatayo ako - ganadong ganado sa pagpidal ng bisikleta.

Not until I ran over a protruding rock from the ground.

The bicycle wobbled.

Nawalan ako ng control.

Before I knew it, we were tossed in the air.

Russel immediately grabbed me before I could even hit the ground. With me inside his arms, we rolled into the grass.

I groaned and slowly sat up.

He frantically checked on me. "Aree, are you ok---"

Then there was a booming sound from above.

I gasped audibly and moved away from him. I looked up at the night sky in horror. "It has started!"

I turned to him. "Ikaw kasi! Bakit mo pa ako pinuntahan? I know you planned everything for this moment! You missed your chance to kiss---"

Warm, soft, sweet... That was all I could feel and taste at the moment.

And then, it hit me.

It's Russel's lips against mine.

My mind turned blank and the things that I could only hear are the booming sound from above and the wild beating of my heart.

He pulled away before whispering against my lips. "I can't help it anymore. Seeing you rush for something like that..."

Thump, thump, thump.

"But I wonder... how fast will you rush if you knew that it is you who I wanted to kiss?"

Ramdam ko ang liyab sa aking dibdib.

He smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "You, idiot! That letter... Francis' the one who wrote it. Inutusan n'ya akong ibigay kay Mayu kaso mukhang aksidenteng nawala sa bag ko kahapon."

Nang tuluyang maproseso ng utak ko ang nangyari, I shook my head and smiled like an idiot. A fool. I'm such a fool.

Back there when I'm locked up, I was actually half-accepting my fate. What I thought that time is, maybe it's okay to stay there all night - all locked up to restrain myself because God knows how I wanted to rush and stop him from kissing Mayu.

But he's the one who rushed in and broke the lock.